PLANTATION, Fla. -- Police have confirmed that the body of a woman found in a canal is that of a missing attorney. Meanwhile, the law firm where she worked is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the woman's slaying.

The body was discovered at about 7:15 a.m. Friday when water management employees were cleaning a canal near a water treatment facility near Pine Island and Interstate 595, just a few miles from where Melissa Britt Lewis lived.

"Today our hearts are broken. There are no words to express the sadness, as we have been informed by the Plantation Police Department that the body of our firm's partner, Melissa B. Lewis, was found nearby her Plantation home," said Stuart Rosenfeldt, founding partner and president of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Adler, in a statement.

Lewis had been with Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Adler since the firm's opening in 2002, starting with the principals of the firm as a law student at Nova Southeastern University.

"She was a true superstar with her vivacious personality, compassion and intellect. She developed into an extremely well respected litigator and lawyer. Melissa was well respected by her judges and peers," said Rosenfeldt.

Lewis was reported missing after co-workers said she didn't show up for work Thursday.

When police arrived at her home, located at 7420 Plantation Road, Lewis and her 2007 black Cadillac SUV were missing. Plantation police Detective Phil Toman said there appeared to be "signs of a struggle that took place inside the garage."

About three hours later, Lewis' vehicle was located in a parking lot behind a medical center at 7500 NW Fifth St., but Lewis, 39, was nowhere to be found.

Lewis was last seen Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. on surveillance video taken at a Publix located at 6921 W. Broward Blvd. She was wearing a brown pantsuit with a burgundy pinstripe, a burgundy and tan knit shirt, and brown pumps. Lewis divorced her husband last year and lived alone in the home, Local 10 reported.

Local 10 asked investigators if the woman's slaying could in any way be related to a kidnapping and the slaying of a mother and daughter at Boca Town Center.

A spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department confirmed that members of their task force investigating those incidents have been in touch with Plantation police.

"We are working with them, but so far they have found no correlation between the two cases. We are continuing to work with them," said Sgt. Pete Palenzuela.

An autopsy is expected to be performed over the weekend to determine Lewis's cause of death.

Crimestoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest.